Hans Ottsen: News . Music . Video

February was a wonderful month for music! A few days ago I had the pleasure of sitting in with Daniel Rotem's "Serenading The Future" Band with Alex Boneham (contrabass) & Roberto Giaquinto (drums). Daniel and the band gave a wonderful performance for The Grape at Hong Kong Inn & it was a great pleasure to perform a few of Daniel's beautiful compositions with such amazing musicians. Check out his new album, "Serenading The Future". It's fantastic. We continue to have some amazing jams 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of each month for The Grape at Hong Kong Inn. mPhaka hosted the last one & boy did we have a blast! Got some new video too (to check it out, scroll up to my video player). 3/5/19 I'll be hosting alongside PTO Trio: Santino Tafarella (contrabass) & Matt Perko (drums). 3/19/19 I'll be hosting alongside Danny Connell (bass) & Tyler Hammond (drums). Coming up this month, mPhaka will be performing for The Grape at Hong Kong Inn again 3/8/19. PTO Trio will be performing 3/16/19, same venue. I'll also be joining David Gorospe Quartet 3/15/19. Later in the month, 3/28/19 to be exact, I'll be performing at The Canyon Club (Agoura) with Patrick Warburton & The Bearded Pearl Clams. We're gonna be headlining so we're very excited about that. You can get tickets from Ticketmaster.Hope to see you at a show! So much more happening but I'll wrap it up here. Thank you for supporting artists & musicians in your community!

Back from NYC. In fact, writing this sitting on the floor at will call for NAMM. I've got my badge (don't lose it! They cost $100 to replace!) Waiting for my second pass for the Hilton Nord show w Ottsen Flowers & Clark. But news!!!

The trip to NYC was beautiful. The recording w Don Peretz & Drew Gress went astoundingly well. Such a fun day in the studio working w two of the most amazing musicians imaginable. What a gift that was. I also got to spend an afternoon w my teacher from 'SC, Joe Diorio. It was such a blessing to catch up w him & hang in Waterbury w him & Tina. He lent me ten pounds of Diorio recordings including a DVD of Diorio & Metheny. Cool man. Gotta send them back w more avocados. New Ottsen avocado fans include Joe Diorio & fam & Gilad Hekselman & fam. Not surprising. Anyway, off to NAMM! Be kind. Be well.

Peace & Love,

Hans

Ottsen Flowers & Clark: Live @ Squashed Grapes

Click the link below to purchase!

Thank you for supporting the artists and musicians around you! The art and music scene is not just a New York/Paris/Los Angeles phenomenon. It's all around us, right in our neighborhoods. Let's encourage one another to cherish & nurture it!

Welcome to hansottsen.com! Music is a large and complex, living, breathing organism made up of countless minds/opinions/experiences/tastes/talents & billions of scores & recordings. The more I learn about music, the more I find I have yet to learn. This is a beautiful thing. It means that no matter how passionately I experience something musical, how deeply I explore it, no matter how moved I find myself, there exists infinite opportunity to seek out greater, deeper, more rewarding musical experiences. This will remain true for me throughout my life and would continue to be true through a thousand lifetimes.

Music can be a companion through one's life. I shudder to think of how I might have fared, without my connection to music, through the darkest, loneliest, most difficult times of my life. And of course, music has always been there for me, setting up a quick link to memories of the good times.

I love music. I love helping people explore the vast musical universe I continue to explore myself. I love helping people hone & articulate their unique, personal musical passions. I watch in awe as the human mind, body, & spirit build ability, see farther, & increase physical dexterity. I feel intense gratitude when I see somebody make a musical breakthrough. I'm honored to be present as they experience that emotion all too familiar to me: the euphoria of experiencing increased capability of musical expression.

Music is available to all human beings. Regardless of age or level of experience, music and the joy it can yield is available to all of us. Most of the time the only thing in the way is ourselves, our acculumated baggage, the power we give the negative, over critical voices in our heads - and we all have em. With a little courage to take the first step & pick up an instrument - see how you can make it sound. See if you can make that ear-worm - the tune stuck in your head - come out through the instrument. Or simply start singing. See if you can play the notes you sing.

There's something in it for anyone willing to listen - Anyone willing to try. The investment is small compared the the reward. The reward is infinite.

Thank you for visiting my website. May you all find the happiness which music make available to all of us.

Sincerely,

Hans Ottsen

IN LOVING MEMORY OF DR. RON A. BLANCHETTE (9.23.1933 - 5.9.2010). HOW COULD THE WORLD EVER KNOW WHAT YOU MEANT TO THOSE OF US WHO KNEW YOU AND LOVED YOU SO? REST IN PEACE MY DEAR FRIEND. YOU'LL ALWAYS BE WITH ME.